On March 9, Lawson’s Finest Liquids will host a free panel discussion on the Power of Women in Leadership at the brewery in Waitsfield from 4 to 6 p.m.
The panel will highlight Vermont’s women-led businesses with panelists sharing stories and challenges of being a trail blazing woman leader in business. Following the panel will be an informal networking event featuring the debut of Powerhouse Pale Ale, created and brewed by the Lawson’s Finest Women and Non-Binary Association. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Vermont Women’s Fund.
Emily Bush, the director of the Vermont Women’s Fund is the keynote speaker. She has over 17 years of experience working in development with a focus on creating opportunities for women and girls. She has expertise in leadership and fundraising and has worked with many nonprofit organizations including The Clinton Foundation, Girls Who Code, AI4All and Moms First. She lives in Manchester, Vermont, with her husband and four children.
Lawson’s CEO Adeline Druart is the panel facilitator. Lawson’s Finest Liquids is a B Corp certified craft brewery. Previously, Druart worked at Vermont Creamery for nearly 20 years, starting as a cheesemaker intern before progressing through the company to president and the vice-president at Land O’ Lakes post-acquisition. Druart is passionate about business ecosystems, inclusive team culture, and creating lasting social and environmental impacts. She is the executive committee vice chair and a board member of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility.
Sas Stewart, founder of Adventure Dinner, is one of the panelists. She is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years in hospitality. She was named one of “Imbibe Magazine’s” 75 inspiring people influencing the way you’ll drink in 2023, and her projects have been featured in multiple publications. Before launching Adventure Dinner, Sas was the co-founder of the Stonecutter Spirits and Highball Social (cocktail bar). She is a graduate of the SBA Emerging Leaders program, and holds a B.A in English from the University of Michigan and a M.S. in Sustainable Planning and Development from Pratt Institute.
Panelist Libby Parent is the president of “Vermont Bag Balm,” a 125-year-old, heritage Vermont brand. A ninth generation Vermonter Parent is proud to be a part of Vermont’s small business community, and passionate about contributing to sustainable business growth in the Green Mountain State. She started her career in brand marketing with work in global sales, sales strategy and brand management Prior to Bag Balm she was the director of marketing for Vermont Smoke & Cure. Libby holds a BS in Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University and an MA in Global Marketing from Emerson College.
Sasha Mayer, panelist, is the cofounder and chief experience officer of Mamava, creator of freestanding lactation spaces for breastfeeding on the go. Her career in design started at JDK (now Solidarity of Unbridled Labour) where Mamava was incubated. As strategy director, Mayer designed and facilitated multidisciplinary creative-collaborative sessions with brands including HP, Levi’s, Lululemon, Nike Women, and Seventh Generation. Prior to joining Solidarity, Sascha served as assistant press secretary for former Congressman (now Senator) Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Panelist Karen Colberg is the CEO of King Arthur Baking, America’s oldest flour company, based in Norwich, Vermont. As a Benefit Corporation and 100% employee-owned company, King Arthur believes in the power of baking to make a difference for their employee-owners, the larger baking community, and the planet. Prior to King Arthur, Colberg built her merchandising and financial acumen at The Gap and GE, respectively. She joined the company in 2005 as Director of Merchandising. Prior to being named CEO, she held the roles of Co-CEO, CMO and Vice President/General Manager, Direct. Karen holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematical Economics from Colgate University and an MBA from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
To attend, register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J6YZGJ3
